Defection of leaders from political parties continues during elections in AP. Many leaders who did not get seats in the ruling YCP are joining BJP, TDP, Jana Sena and Congress. Among them, a former minister of TDP and presently a key leader in YCP set to return to his previous party.
Former minister from Prakasam district and very influential leader among Vaishya community Siddha Raghava Rao is now on the row to join TDP following a raw deal by YSRCP leadership. He was a minister in Chandrababu Naidu cabinet during 2014- 19.
After his defeat in 2019 elections, when he contested to the Ongole Lok Sabha constituency and TDP lost power, he defected to YSRCP, reportedly due to pressures on his business houses by the then YS Jaganmohan Reddy government.
As presently YCP leadership denied seat to him or his son in the present polls, he said to be preferring to return to TDP fold. Being a key Vaishya community leader and Prakasam having a strong hold in politics, TDP is also ready to include him.
According to TDP sources, Siddha Raghavrao is going to rejoin TDP in the presence of Chandrababu Naidu on March 27th. He is likely to be allotted his old seat Darshi in Prakasam district.
This time YCP has given ticket to Buchepalli Sivaprasad Reddy and not to sitting MLA Maddishetti Venugopal. In this background, Siddha Raghavrao, who is also a granite trader, seems to be the best option for the TDP, which is waiting for the right candidate to challenge him.
